Neglected Gifts

"Do not neglect your gift, 

which was given you through prophecy 

when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Be diligent in these matters;

give yourself wholly to them,

so that everyone may see your progress.

Watch your life and doctrine closely.

Persevere in them,

because if you do,

you will save both yourself and your hearers."

1 Timothy 4:14-16

Warm spring temperatures generated an explosion of growth.  The blueberry bushes and fruit trees were filled with blossoms, bees busily humming from bloom to bloom.  New leaves were bursting forth all around, making our yard suddenly green with new life.  The neglect of the winter, however, showed in the weeds that overpowered the garden; so much so that I could barely make out the tiny sprigs of leaf lettuce struggling to reach the sunlight.

Even a week of unhampered growth can render a garden out of control.  In order to stay on top of the influx of invaders, I must be vigilant in my work.  It is the same with my life of faith.  There are gifts that God has given to me that are meant to be used to edify the Body of Christ.  If I neglect them, however, and don't use them as they were meant to be used, they grow flaccid and are then wasted.

Diligence

Female bees are hard workers.  They never stop toiling, but are constantly busy either producing wax to make their combs, laying eggs and caring for the young inside the cells of these structures, guarding the entrance to the hive, using their wings to cool their home, or collecting nectar to make honey.  These insects work carefully and persistently to fulfill their purpose.

I can learn a lesson from the honeybee!  Instead of drifting through life, letting circumstances and situations guide my direction, I can take the initiative to purposefully work toward living out my purpose.  When I give myself wholeheartedly to what God has called me to do, whether it be to encourage, to serve, to teach, or to act in faith, people will see the hand of God and praise Him for all He is doing.

My diligence in using my gifts brings glory to God.

Watch

"God doesn't give me more than I can handle."

"God helps those who help themselves."

"Cleanliness is next to godliness."

"I'm too blessed to be stressed."

These are some common sayings that have crept into our belief system but are not based on biblical truth.  It is easy to adopt a principle that sounds good and seems right, but the danger is a slow slide away from the solid ground of the Word of God.

If I am to guard myself from buying into false teachings that come in the form of folklore, traditions and pop psychology, I must carefully pay attention to the truth as God teaches in His Word, testing every new belief against the scriptures.  When I do this, I find that God won't tempt me beyond what I can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13) but He regularly tests me with situations that are more than I can handle so I must rely on Him.  (2 Corinthians 12:9, Matthew 11:28-30)

As I keep His Word always on my mind I find that He doesn't help those who rely on their own abilities and resources but instead gives strength to those who wait on Him (Isaiah 40:31).  Another truth I remember is that instead of placing the pursuit of cleanliness upon such a high pedestal, God places contentment there, saying it in itself is 'great wealth.' (1 Timothy 6:6-11)

Finally, stress is the pressure I feel that is a common part of living in a fallen world.  To claim I'm too blessed to feel the effects of this anxiety or tension seems to come from pride that says I will rise above it.  Instead, Jesus reminds me that I will have trouble in this world but that I can take heart from the fact that He has overcome it all. (John 16:33)  I am more than a conqueror because of what Jesus has done, not because I have a strong will.

Carefully guarding against wrong beliefs so my gifts are used wisely brings glory to God.

Persevere

One of my favorite summer pastimes during my teen years was to take an inner tube and float down a nearby river.  The water felt cool on my sun-kissed skin, the trees provided shade from the scorching sun and the birds serenaded me as I traveled without any effort on my part.  Drifting on a lazy river is relaxing.

Drifting in my walk with the Lord, however, leads me further and further away from Him.  It's easy to start slacking off, holding the attitude that I've checked off all "my duties" for the day so now I can let my mind wander to fleshly pleasures, or give myself a break from seeking holiness, or take a vacation from holding my tongue.

The moment I let up moving toward Christ, I begin moving away from Him and let my spiritual gifts atrophy.  It's important that I persevere in doing what God is calling me to do so that my heart won't begin to look like my garden that was quickly overcome with weeds.  

Perseverance in using my gifts drives me closer to God and brings glory to Him.

A moment of waywardness can lead to a lifetime of grief.  Instead of trying to do damage control, a little prevention is just what's needed.  To preserve the gifts God has given me, I must use them with all diligence, guard them against being tainted by false teachings, and persevere in using them regularly.  In this way, I won't neglect these gifts of the Spirit.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can pay attention to what I'm placing in my memory stores.

How do I easily believe the things that others say without checking it against the Truth of scripture?

When do I fail to use my gifts?